Study Shows Rhythm Is Related To Language Skills

Study Shows Rhythm Is Related To Language Skills

A recent study carried out on a group of high school students suggested that a person’s rhythm can tell more about them than the way they dance or sing. Researchers from the Northwestern University in Evanston Illinois said that people who can keep a musical rhythm have better language skills than those who struggle with it.

The researchers say that this study shows a clear link between the part of the brain used to record sounds and the movement, language and reading parts.

The study could change the way young people, especially dyslexic ones approach improving their reading skills. The study was published in the Journal of Neuroscience this September. It was carried out with the help of over 125 high school student.

The students had to perform two tasks. The first involved a metronome. They were asked to try to tap along with the metronome’s clicks on a specially designed pad that recorded their taps and measured them for accuracy.

In the seconds tests, students had electrodes fitted to their heads, electrodes that measured their brain waves whilst repeating certain syllables.

The study showed that the students who did well on the metronome test also scored higher on the syllable part, confirming the suspicion that the brain has a hub of sorts that ties together the language, rhythm and auditory functions.

Posted by George Daniels on Sunday September 22 2013, 4:38 AM EST. Ref: cbs. Link. All trademarks acknowledged. Filed under Featured News, Health. Comments and Trackbacks closed. Follow responses: RSS 2.0